A foolproof way to keep hunger at bay — and ravenous partygoers out of the kitchen — before the big holiday dinner is appetizers, and lots of ‘em. We have plenty of tried-and-true Christmas appetizer recipes to choose from, but the ones that fly off the table the fastest are always ones filled with cheese.

When you think about a good party, the first things that come to mind are great food and drinks, but the next-best part is memorable music. There is nothing worse than a dull shindig with no music or an obscure Spotify playlist on in the background, so when you plan your next party, try to match excellent seasonal bites with equally fantastic summer jams.

On the June 24 episode of Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers,Rev is having a music-centric DJ’s dinner, which inspired us to think about what songs — both throwback faves and current hits — would pair well with passed appetizers and small plates. With these six duos, you can dance, drink and eat all at the same time.

Who says appetizers have to be ultra-rich to be a hit? These lightened-up appetizers use healthy whole foods to make small bites that taste as good as they are good for you. Most of them are a cinch to make, too, so you can cut down on the stress as well as the calories.

Meatless Monday is a global movement, a way of life. It’s not a campaign to turn everyone in the world vegetarian or vegan; in fact, many involved are meat-lovers. Eating less meat has been proven to reduce the risk of disease, curb obesity and has important environmental impacts, too. Will you join us in giving up meat, just for one day a week?
For every holiday party I’ve been invited to, the host instructions are to bring “an appetizer or dessert.” As much as I love baking, I prefer to bring the former. There are always plenty of sweets at a holiday gathering, but no guarantee that there will be meatless pre-dinner snacks. If I bring one or two vegetarian appetizers, it guarantees that I’m able to snack while I’m mingling and if dinner happens to be a whole bunch of ham and prime rib, then at least I can continue to nibble on my own apps.

The best bring-to-a-party appetizers are those that pack well so they won’t get all mangled in your travels and that can be made ahead — don’t count on being able to do a lot of last-minute prep or assembly at the party. If you’re bringing a hot dip or something that needs to be cooked (even re-heated) before serving, check with the host to make sure you’ll have access to the stove, oven or microwave.

Meatless Monday is a global movement, a way of life. It’s not a campaign to turn everyone in the world vegetarian or vegan; in fact, many involved are meat-lovers. Eating less meat has been proven to reduce the risk of disease, curb obesity and has important environmental impacts, too. Will you join us in giving up meat, just for one day a week?

In most circles, it’s likely you won’t get away with a vegetarian entree for Thanksgiving. Everyone expects a turkey and those who go meatless can fill up on green bean casserole and sweet potatoes. But Thanksgiving appetizers are a different story. An entire appetizer spread can be meatless and no one will notice. Expect to hear squeals of glee accompanied by comments like, “Ohhh, is that spinach-artichoke dip?” (Which is much nicer to hear than “Where’s the stinking turkey?!)

Use a food processor to whip up Giada’s White Bean Dip (pictured above) in seconds; serve it with warm, homemade pita chips, or if you’re pressed for time (and oven space) use store-bought pita chips or crudites. You can save yourself even more time by making the dip the day before Thanksgiving.

Nom, nom, nom. The nominations are in and now it’s time to enjoy Sunday’s broadcast while munching on our favorite Emmy-inspired bites. While not all entirely practical, they’re all certainly delicious. So whether you’re rooting for a certain actor or just tuning in to see red carpet fashions, we’ve got a whole bunch of eats with nods to your favorite shows.

For casual summer get-togethers, you obviously don’t want to create course after course of fussy foods, but it’s always a good idea to have a few easy appetizers planned. Here are three reasons not to skip tasty teasers:

Sure, fresh ones may be available year round, but their sweet, nutty flavor shines brightest in the spring. Roasted, boiled, baked, grilled, fried or even microwaved, artichokes are healthy, versatile and surprisingly easy to prepare.

With the cold weather blues now safely tucked away for the year, light, airy and fresh snacks, like Laura Calder’s Artichokes with Roasted Garlic Aioli, are all the fad. From crunchy crostinis to creamy bakes, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite appetizer recipes that take advantage of artichoke season.

Mid March has come, and part of all the madness is figuring out what to munch on during the games. Serve up a pile of Emeril’s Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings and your friends will be licking their fingers in no time, but maybe it’s nachos that you’re craving, or chili…

Decisions, decisions, decisions… So many good game foods, and so little time. Let’s mull over some tasty options, after the jump.